diff --git a/src/components/comment-content/comment-content.tsx b/src/components/comment-content/comment-content.tsx
index ac412b59..38145f0e 100644
--- a/src/components/comment-content/comment-content.tsx
+++ b/src/components/comment-content/comment-content.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import useSubplebbitsPagesStore from '@bitsocialhq/bitsocial-react-hooks/dist/st
 import usePostNumberStore from '../../stores/use-post-number-store';
 import getShortAddress from '../../lib/get-short-address';
 import { getFormattedDate, getFormattedTimeAgo } from '../../lib/utils/time-utils';
+import { isUnavailableQuoteTarget } from '../../lib/utils/quote-link-utils';
 import { isPostPageView } from '../../lib/utils/view-utils';
 import useIsMobile from '../../hooks/use-is-mobile';
 import useStateString from '../../hooks/use-state-string';
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ const QuotedCidLink = ({ cid, postCid }: { cid: string; postCid: string }) => {
   // Prefer hook version to ensure 'number' property is populated for deeper nested replies in Virtuoso
   const quotedComment = commentFromHook?.number !== undefined ? commentFromHook : commentFromStore;
   const isOP = cid === postCid;
-  const isUnavailable = !quotedComment || quotedComment.deleted || quotedComment.removed;
+  const isUnavailable = isUnavailableQuoteTarget(quotedComment);
 
   return <ReplyQuotePreview isQuotelinkReply={true} quotelinkReply={quotedComment} quotelinkNumber={quotedNumber} isQuotelinkUnavailable={isUnavailable} isOP={isOP} />;
 };
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ const CommentContent = ({ comment: post }: { comment: Comment }) => {
         !(deleted || removed) &&
         (filteredQuotedCids.length > 0
           ? filteredQuotedCids.map((cid: string) => <QuotedCidLink key={cid} cid={cid} postCid={postCid} />)
-          : shouldShowReplyingToReply && <ReplyQuotePreview isQuotelinkReply={true} quotelinkReply={quotelinkReply} />)}
+          : shouldShowReplyingToReply && <ReplyQuotePreview isQuotelinkReply={true} quotelinkReply={quotelinkReply} quotelinkNumber={parentNumber} />)}
       {removed ? (
         reason ? (
           <>
diff --git a/src/components/markdown/markdown.tsx b/src/components/markdown/markdown.tsx
index 20f551f4..b5bece0f 100644
--- a/src/components/markdown/markdown.tsx
+++ b/src/components/markdown/markdown.tsx
@@ -277,13 +277,13 @@ const NumberQuoteLink = ({ number, threadPostCid, subplebbitAddress }: { number:
   const comment = commentFromHook?.number !== undefined ? commentFromHook : commentFromStore;
   const isOP = Boolean(threadPostCid && cid === threadPostCid);
 
-  if (!comment || isUnavailableQuoteTarget(comment)) {
+  if (isUnavailableQuoteTarget(comment)) {
     return (
       <ReplyQuotePreview isQuotelinkReply={true} quotelinkReply={comment} quotelinkNumber={number} isQuotelinkUnavailable={true} isOP={isOP} showTrailingBreak={false} />
     );
   }
 
-  return <ReplyQuotePreview isQuotelinkReply={true} quotelinkReply={comment} isOP={isOP} showTrailingBreak={false} />;
+  return <ReplyQuotePreview isQuotelinkReply={true} quotelinkReply={comment} quotelinkNumber={number} isOP={isOP} showTrailingBreak={false} />;
 };
 
 const renderAnchorLink = (children: React.ReactNode, href: string, threadPostCid?: string, subplebbitAddress?: string) => {
diff --git a/src/components/reply-quote-preview/reply-quote-preview.tsx b/src/components/reply-quote-preview/reply-quote-preview.tsx
index 5d7c4f96..7de273f2 100644
--- a/src/components/reply-quote-preview/reply-quote-preview.tsx
+++ b/src/components/reply-quote-preview/reply-quote-preview.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { Comment, useAccount } from '@bitsocialhq/bitsocial-react-hooks';
 import { useFloating, offset, shift, size, autoUpdate, Placement } from '@floating-ui/react';
 import { useDirectories } from '../../hooks/use-directories';
 import { getBoardPath } from '../../lib/utils/route-utils';
-import { formatQuoteNumber, isUnavailableQuoteTarget, shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview } from '../../lib/utils/quote-link-utils';
+import { formatQuoteNumber, getQuoteTargetAvailability, shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview } from '../../lib/utils/quote-link-utils';
 import useIsMobile from '../../hooks/use-is-mobile';
 import styles from '../../views/post/post.module.css';
 import { Post } from '../../views/post';
@@ -209,7 +209,9 @@ const DesktopQuotePreview = ({
   const resolvedQuotelinkNumber = quotelinkReply?.number ?? quotelinkNumber;
   const resolvedQuotelinkCid = quotelinkReply?.cid;
   const resolvedQuotelinkSubplebbitAddress = quotelinkReply?.subplebbitAddress;
-  const quotelinkUnavailable = Boolean(isQuotelinkUnavailable || isUnavailableQuoteTarget(quotelinkReply));
+  const quoteTargetAvailability = getQuoteTargetAvailability(quotelinkReply);
+  const quotelinkUnavailable = Boolean(isQuotelinkUnavailable || quoteTargetAvailability === 'unavailable');
+  const quotelinkPendingResolution = !quotelinkUnavailable && quoteTargetAvailability === 'unresolved';
   const quotelinkClassName = quotelinkUnavailable ? `${styles.quoteLink} ${styles.quoteLinkUnavailable}` : styles.quoteLink;
   const quotelinkBoardPath = quotelinkReply?.subplebbitAddress ? getBoardPath(quotelinkReply.subplebbitAddress, directories) : undefined;
   const quotelinkRoute = quotelinkReply?.cid ? (quotelinkBoardPath ? `/${quotelinkBoardPath}/thread/${quotelinkReply.cid}` : `/thread/${quotelinkReply.cid}`) : '#';
@@ -231,6 +233,8 @@ const DesktopQuotePreview = ({
     <>
       {quotelinkUnavailable ? (
         <span className={quotelinkClassName}>{quotelinkLabel}</span>
+      ) : quotelinkPendingResolution ? (
+        <span className={styles.quoteLink}>{quotelinkLabel}</span>
       ) : (
         <Link
           to={quotelinkRoute}
@@ -363,7 +367,9 @@ const MobileQuotePreview = ({
   const resolvedQuotelinkNumber = quotelinkReply?.number ?? quotelinkNumber;
   const resolvedQuotelinkCid = quotelinkReply?.cid;
   const resolvedQuotelinkSubplebbitAddress = quotelinkReply?.subplebbitAddress;
-  const quotelinkUnavailable = Boolean(isQuotelinkUnavailable || isUnavailableQuoteTarget(quotelinkReply));
+  const quoteTargetAvailability = getQuoteTargetAvailability(quotelinkReply);
+  const quotelinkUnavailable = Boolean(isQuotelinkUnavailable || quoteTargetAvailability === 'unavailable');
+  const quotelinkPendingResolution = !quotelinkUnavailable && quoteTargetAvailability === 'unresolved';
   const quotelinkClassName = quotelinkUnavailable ? `${styles.quoteLink} ${styles.quoteLinkUnavailable}` : styles.quoteLink;
   const shouldShowQuotelinkPreview = shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview({
     hoveredCid,
@@ -375,16 +381,17 @@ const MobileQuotePreview = ({
   const replyQuotelink = (
     <>
       <span
-        ref={quotelinkUnavailable ? undefined : refs.setReference}
-        className={quotelinkClassName}
-        onMouseOver={quotelinkUnavailable ? undefined : () => handleMouseOver(resolvedQuotelinkCid)}
-        onMouseLeave={quotelinkUnavailable ? undefined : () => handleMouseLeave(resolvedQuotelinkCid)}
+        ref={quotelinkUnavailable || quotelinkPendingResolution ? undefined : refs.setReference}
+        className={quotelinkPendingResolution ? styles.quoteLink : quotelinkClassName}
+        onMouseOver={quotelinkUnavailable || quotelinkPendingResolution ? undefined : () => handleMouseOver(resolvedQuotelinkCid)}
+        onMouseLeave={quotelinkUnavailable || quotelinkPendingResolution ? undefined : () => handleMouseLeave(resolvedQuotelinkCid)}
       >
         {formatQuoteNumber(resolvedQuotelinkNumber)}
         {isOP && ' (OP)'}
         {quotelinkReply?.author?.address === account?.author?.address && ' (You)'}
       </span>
       {!quotelinkUnavailable &&
+        !quotelinkPendingResolution &&
         resolvedQuotelinkNumber &&
         (() => {
           const quotelinkBoardPath = resolvedQuotelinkSubplebbitAddress ? getBoardPath(resolvedQuotelinkSubplebbitAddress, directories) : undefined;
diff --git a/src/lib/utils/__tests__/quote-link-utils.test.ts b/src/lib/utils/__tests__/quote-link-utils.test.ts
index 1642f81f..c406d9b1 100644
--- a/src/lib/utils/__tests__/quote-link-utils.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/utils/__tests__/quote-link-utils.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
-import { formatQuoteNumber, isUnavailableQuoteTarget, shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview } from '../quote-link-utils';
+import { formatQuoteNumber, getQuoteTargetAvailability, isUnavailableQuoteTarget, shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview } from '../quote-link-utils';
 
 describe('quote-link-utils', () => {
   it('formats quote numbers with the expected prefix', () => {
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ describe('quote-link-utils', () => {
     expect(formatQuoteNumber()).toBe('>>?');
   });
 
+  it('distinguishes unresolved and unavailable quote targets', () => {
+    expect(getQuoteTargetAvailability(undefined)).toBe('unresolved');
+    expect(getQuoteTargetAvailability({ deleted: true, removed: false })).toBe('unavailable');
+    expect(getQuoteTargetAvailability({ deleted: false, removed: true })).toBe('unavailable');
+    expect(getQuoteTargetAvailability({ deleted: false, removed: false })).toBe('available');
+  });
+
   it('marks deleted and removed comments as unavailable quote targets', () => {
     expect(isUnavailableQuoteTarget(undefined)).toBe(false);
     expect(isUnavailableQuoteTarget({ deleted: true, removed: false })).toBe(true);
diff --git a/src/lib/utils/quote-link-utils.ts b/src/lib/utils/quote-link-utils.ts
index 83a4593c..f2ec0148 100644
--- a/src/lib/utils/quote-link-utils.ts
+++ b/src/lib/utils/quote-link-utils.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,18 @@
 import type { Comment } from '@bitsocialhq/bitsocial-react-hooks';
 
+type QuoteTargetAvailability = 'available' | 'unresolved' | 'unavailable';
+
 export const formatQuoteNumber = (number?: number) => `>>${number ?? '?'}`;
 
-export const isUnavailableQuoteTarget = (comment?: Partial<Pick<Comment, 'deleted' | 'removed'>> | null) => Boolean(comment?.deleted || comment?.removed);
+export const getQuoteTargetAvailability = (comment?: Partial<Pick<Comment, 'deleted' | 'removed'>> | null): QuoteTargetAvailability => {
+  if (!comment) {
+    return 'unresolved';
+  }
+
+  return comment.deleted || comment.removed ? 'unavailable' : 'available';
+};
+
+export const isUnavailableQuoteTarget = (comment?: Partial<Pick<Comment, 'deleted' | 'removed'>> | null) => getQuoteTargetAvailability(comment) === 'unavailable';
 
 export const shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview = ({
   hoveredCid,